


Lupicide

by Deriliarch



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-11
Updated: 2018-04-11
Packaged: 2019-04-21 10:56:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14283405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Deriliarch/pseuds/Deriliarch
Summary: What if Snape had taught another class period of Defense Against the Dark Arts--and sent the werewolf essays along to an unwitting Remus to be graded?





	Lupicide

Remus set a mug of tea to the side of the stack of parchment rolls, lit a merry fire, and wrapped himself in an extra blanket before leveraging himself slowly, painfully back into his chair. While Madame Pomfrey and the Wolfsbane potion did wonders in his recovery time after his Change it could not make it go away altogether. He was always tired and always sore and always a little dazed, but he would take that over complete debilitation. A day out from the full moon was usually one of his peak moods; the farthest away from the next month’s Change as he could possibly get.

He scooped up his mug, letting the humid warmth soak into his achy fingers a while before he lifted the top essay and smoothed it out on the table. Ah, this one was Neville’s. Poor boy; when Remus had heard who had filled his spot as teacher, his heart had gone out to the class, but especially Neville. The boy has to deal with the bullying in Potions, but to have it sprung on him in surprise in what was supposed to be a safe space…. He wished he could request another Professor, but Dumbledore was already accommodating his monthly absence, no need to make a—

He stiffened and the jolt sent tea splattering over Neville’s essay parchment.  _How to Kill a Werewolf_.

 _No_ ….

“Scourgify,” he said slowly, trying to keep his hands and voice separate from the trembling nausea that was beginning high in his belly. The parchment was cleared and those words still glared up at him in that good hearted boy’s scrawling writing.  _He didn’t_.

He let that roll flip itself closed and slowly took another, opened it. Ron’s;  _Ways to Kill a Werewolf_.

Remus pushed his chair back, hard, surged to his feet. He went to the other side of the room, put his cold hands to the cold wall and tried to take in deep, gulping breaths that seemed too short. Long, bone deep shudders were racing up and down his body. He felt like he was going to throw up.

 _You… SNAKE_.

It was as if the rug had been pulled out from under him and the only thing under it was open air.  _You will never belong. You aren’t safe here. You aren’t safe anywhere. It doesn’t matter if you’re a teacher, it doesn’t matter if you’re at Hogwarts, it doesn’t matter if Dumbledore is here. You are intrinsically a liar. Inherently a beast. Inescapably a killer. It only takes one moment for everyone to know. Even those students you love. You are NOTHING but one of the Dark creatures they must learn to dispose of._

Some sound came from his throat, something like desperation, something like loss. He clapped his hands over his mouth, sank down sitting on the floor of his office, and stared for a long time at the desk, full of students who trusted him, asking him to read and tell them how well and thoroughly they knew how to murder him.

**Author's Note:**

> A scene that popped into my head as I was writing Remus Lupin and the PoA until I realized that they never turned in the essays. So a not-so-fun little 'what if?'


End file.
